The invention relates to a belt conveyor for an intermediate tobacco store, for example, a mixing box. Such a belt conveyor includes least two parallel-arranged drive elements, which are connected by at least one cross strut. A belt is arranged between the drive elements.
The invention furthermore relates to a cross strut for a belt conveyor of the type described above.
In addition, the invention relates to an intermediate tobacco store, in particular a mixing box, as well as a conveying system for an installation in the tobacco-processing industry.
Mixing boxes supplied with different types of tobacco are used in the cigarette production. The mixing ensures that the finished tobacco product has a uniform mixing quality and thus a constant, homogeneous tobacco mixture.
A belt conveyor is arranged on the bottom of the intermediate store to remove the mixed tobacco from the mixing box, having a width of up to 5 m and a length of up to 50 m. The conveyor further transports the tobacco mass, stored in the intermediate store, to a metering apparatus. The belt conveyor is moved with the aid of two conveyor chains, wherein the conveyor chains are connected via tie-bars. A conveyor belt on which the layers of tobacco are disposed is attached to the tie-bars. The belt is securely riveted to the tie-bars, such that it can convey the tobacco good.
The disadvantage of existing conveyor belts is that tobacco and other particles heavily soil the belts. The belts are difficult to clean because of the secure rivet connection between the tie-bars and the belts. As a result, meeting the requirements set by law for cleanliness is very difficult.